Keys to Having a Great Meeting

Holding a great meeting is a challenge for a lot of managers. How can you captivate the attention of everyone in the room and keep them interested in the conversation? Meetings are an integral part of managing a company, and you must learn how to conduct a meeting properly to make the right impression. Here are some tips to follow to have a great meeting.

Always Start On Time
Never start a meeting late, as it causes bad habits to form. You need to start your meeting on time, and end the meeting on time. This shows the employees that you value their time (and that yours is valuable, too). When you start on time, it will discourage people from walking in late to the meeting. Limit people from talking too much during the meeting—the focus should be on business. When someone starts chit-chatting, it can cause a meeting to run long. While you want people to build friendships in the workplace, you do need to be aware of the time constraints and the information that must be covered during the meeting.

Use an Agenda
It always helps to know what topics must be discussed during the meeting. Creating an agenda is a great way to help your employees to see what they need to bring to the meeting. An agenda is also a helpful guide for you to follow as you conduct the meeting. Send the agenda out before the meeting to help your staff properly prepare for the meeting. If they need to bring specific information to the meeting, giving them some time to prepare will help them to feel confident in their answers during the meeting. The agenda is beneficial to keep people from getting off topic, and it can help you manage your time properly.

Encourage Talk
When you ask employees questions, some of them may feel nervous about being placed on the spot. Give your staff time to think before they answer questions, but try to find a way to draw them out. You want your staff to contribute, so it often helps to assign them a part in the meeting. They can prepare for this, allowing them to feel confident when you do call on them.

Recognize Hard Work
Some companies like to single out one person they feel has gone above and beyond the standards of the company. While this is a great motivator, it can also be a source of contention. Try to recognize the hard work of the entire staff versus singling out a few people. Avoid allowing people to blame one another for things that don’t work out correctly. The blame game can make a meeting last for a long time, and it can leave the entire staff upset.

Encourage Suggestions
During the meeting, ask the staff for suggestions when you are discussing future projects. If you have used their suggestions in the past, recognize your employees for their ideas. Always give credit where it is due, as this will foster stronger relationships with your staff.

Snacks
For meetings that go on longer than fifteen minutes, consider serving your employees some snacks. Simple fruit and vegetable trays will work well for a lot of people, and it gives them a distraction if they start to lose focus during the meeting. Holding an effective meeting is easy when you plan ahead, get an agenda, and stay on time.

This article was written by Sheldon Armstrong, a regular contributor here at INFOtainment News. He writes this on behalf of Premier Business Centers, your number one choice when looking for meeting room rentals for your business. Check out their website today and see how they can help you!

Sheldon Armstrong is a regular contributor for INFOtainment News. He loves writing about technology and keeping up with the latest gadgets on the market. In addition, he contributes articles covering a wide range of topics together with his friends who appear as guest writers every now and then.